Dough twister



Oct. 8, 1940. R. P. sTEADMAN ET Ax.

DOUGH TWISTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1939 Oct. 8. 1940. R. P.STEADMAN ET AL v 2,216,787

DoUGH 'rwIs'rER Filed Nov. 2o, 1939 esmas-sheet 3 Filed Nov. 2o, 1939AR. P. sTEADMAN ET AL DoUGH TwIsTER 6 She ets-Sheet 4 fwfw/f w40# Y J.nld/m gwn/v y 1 @MW 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. P. STEADMAN ET AL DOUGH TWISTERFiled Nov. 20, 1959 oct. s. 1940.

#mW/fama# I Oct. 8, 1940.

. R. P. STEADMAN ET AL DOUGH TWISTER Filed Nov. 20, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet6 HRR Patented Oct. 8,1940

UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOUGH TWISTER Ruffu's'l. Steadman and HarryKaplan,

Memphis, Tenn.

Application Novemher zo, 1939, serial No. 365,262

7 Claims.

maketwo substantially cylindrical strips of dough and" to twist thesetogether by hand for the purpose set out above-audit has beenincreasingly evident that mechanical means should be adopted y for thepurpose of doing this twisting. u

` Responsive to this demand machines have been proposed or made for thispurpose;y So far as is i known, however, these machines have beendeficient in numerous itemswhich have hampered or' even prevented theiradoption.

The objects of the present device are: To make a machine which willaccomplish the twisting together of two strips of "dough in a 251simple, economical'and effective manner.

A particular object is to make a twisting ap` paratus which willproperly hold `the stripsdubing twisting and will properly accomplishthe release of the twistedfroll` atthe end of the twisting operation.

To make a twisting apparatus which will accomplish the twisting of thestrips without substantial stretching during twisting, and withoutforming hardened end s due to clamping of either or both thereof.

To provide a dough twisting mechanism which will evenly twistthe twoendportions of the roll and complete the twist substantially to the endof such'portions.

To provide an 'apparatus of this kind which will coordinate the movementof twisting heads in such manner-that they 4will be disposed to receivestrips of dough. with timing vmechanism for deliveringthe strips, andwill subsequently close the heads,` `rotate and move same apart toaccomplish twisting and release of the twisted roll. x.

The means by which the `foregoing and other objects'are accomplished andthe method of their 5()` accomplishment will readily be understood fromthe following specification on reference to the accompanying drawingsinfwhich;`

Fig. 1` is aside elevation takenas on the line I-I of Fig. 2, thetwister Iheads'being"sho'vsnri ap- 55 proached and open. A

Fig. 2 is an end 'elevation lookingin the direction of the arrowZ ofFig. 1, theptwister heads being shown closed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation` ltaken on the line III-fIII of Fig." 1,`the 'twister lieads'being shown 5 open.

Fig. 4 is a sectionalfside elevation taken as on the line IV-e-IV ofFig. 3, showing the twister heads` withdrawn and" a twisted `rolldropped therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line V-V of Figs. 2l and3,1p'artic`ul'a`r1y showing the timingcam. l' r` l Fig, 6 is an enlargedsection taken on the line VI--VI of Figs. 4 and '7; showing the hopperand 15 l twisting head relation.

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary side elevation taken on the line VII-VII ofFig. 6- showing the same parts. Figs 8l and 9' are 'enlarged viewsshowing de tail of the sorting hopperin `differing positions; 2'0" vThemachine'vinlcludes a frame. supported in generally upright' position,lthisI frame preferably 25' having `a base n II! withVerticallyfextending end niembersll and l2, whichfca'rry nuts I3 and lllrespectively through. which l are reciprocably mounted oppositelydisposed screws l5, I6, these screws having a much elongated pitch andbeing 36 adapted to befr'tatedhby reciprocation. The screws l5 Yand Hiycarryfcomplemenntary twister heads,` each composed of an adjacent pairof parallel troughs, l1, I8 respectively, and a pair of l covers '9, 2U@respectively, hinged thereto, as by hinges 2|, the axes of the troughsand covers being parallel withl the extended axesof the screws. f 22`are springs which urge closure ofthe covers, and 23 areears'pojectingfrom these covers. In closed position the coverso'mplete va pair of`substantially cylindrical barrels for each of the heads, and in openposition allow free 4'access to the troughs. L

Thescrews l5,` lare' reciprocated synchronously b ut inoppositedirections by a cam 25 than 9U degrees of arc; providing asimilar dwell 55" be secured to the shaft and the shaft jour-.called inbearings 53 carried ,bythe end walls 54 of theV and I2. Rigidly securedto the rod 31 is a rack 38 which meshes with a floating pinion 39,journalled on a pin 4|) carried by a suitable support:

4| extending upward from the base I0. Oppositely, the pinion 39 mesheswith a second rack 42 which is mounted on and rigidly secured to asecond rod 43, this rod likewise being reciprocably mounted in the endmembers and l2. The rod 31 carries at one end a rigidly connectedbracket 44 in which one end of the screw `|5 is journalled. Similarlythe lrod 43 carries a rigidly secured bracket 45 in which the Ascrew ,I6is similarly journalled, the bracket 45 being apertured to permit thefree passage of the rod 31.

Disposed above the twister heads I1, IB is a dough feeding systemcomprisinga delivery belt, a sorting hopperand atiminghopper therebelow.The delivery belt 59`passes around a drum 5| which is mounted on a shaft52. The drum may timing hopper. In such case the drum may be driven asby a pulley through a belt 56 suitably powered. Obviously, however, thedeliveryy belt may be driven from the l opposite end if more convenient.1

The sorting hopper comprises a generally rectangular structure havingends 60, and sides 6|, 62, lying within and adjacent the end walls 54 ofthe timing hopper, and swung on the shaft 52, the side 62 preferablylbeingared at the top away from the belt. 'This hoppervis providedv witha pair of closure doors 63, 64 suitably hinged to the bottom edges ofthe sides-6|, 62.k Y

65 is a tension spring having one end secured through an adjustableyeyebol,t;|6, as to-the flanged top edge of the side 61 of the timinghopper and its opposite vend secured as-through an eye bolt 68 to the-loweredge ofthe side 62,

"this spring, as shown in Fig. 8, normally holding the sorting hopper ininclinedposition to receive the strips A, B, etc., of dough, the firstof these strips when delivered by the 'belt 50 into the ,hopper swingingthe hopper toward upright posi- Vtion prior to thefdeliveryof the secondstrip thereto, and the accumulated weight of the two strips of dough.completing -movement of the hopper into substantially uprightposition.kThe tension of therscrew 65 isadjusted by the ad- -justable eye boltl66 .to allow the` accomplishment of such movement.. It will hej-notedthat-the adjustment of the bolt 66 is sufficient to permit the properaccomplishment of lthese movements lwith various sizes and `,weightsofdough strips.

The doors63,r 64ware respectively provided at their opposite ends withapair of pins 69, and a pair of pins '1|0`5which-kslide along arcuatecam surfaces 1| and Vpreventtlfle opening of the doors until thehoppermoves into substantially upright position, The cams 1| are steppedin width of their lower ends, as shown in Fig.: 10, and the pins 69 aremade shorterthanthe pins 10 whereby the two doors -willl'mreleasedsimultaneously. 12 are springswhieh'- are of suicient strength toaccomplish the closing of the doors 63, 64 after discharge of the doughtherefrom, but not to support the weight of the dough. In order toprevent the spring 65 from returning the hopper to inclined position,before this closing action of the doors can take place, the cams 1| arepreferably provided with downwardly extending arcuate portions 13 withwhich the pins 69 engage as the door 53 opens andwhich hold the hopperin uprightposition ,until the closing of this door and the door 64 areaccomplished.

The timing hopper, in addition to the end wall 54, and side wall 61 hasan oppositely disposed sidewall 89, both walls extending below thebottom of the gatesA 63, 64 of the sorting hopper when ,these gates arein open position, as at 63A, 64A, in Fig. 6. Hingedly attached to thebottom of the side walls are doors 8| which are, when the hopper isempty, held closed by springs 82 of insuiiicient tension to support theweight of thedough thereon. These doors are provided with outwardlyprojecting ylugs- 83 which are adaptedto engage end portions84 of triplevers 85, and which when so engaged hold the doors in closed position.Preferably the timing hopper is provided with a central divisionwall-SSwhich insures proper discharge of the dough strips into the twisterheads therebelow.

There are two trip'levers 85 disposed on op-4 posite sides of thehopperA which are rigidly secured to va `shaft 81, journalled .in twoupright members 88,v 89 whichyare carried by the base |0 and extendupward therefrom to support the side wallsv 61, 80 of the hopper. Y

At the oppositeend of thehopper there are an additional .pair of triplevers 99 which are similarly secured to ashaft 9|, these latterleversnot necessarily. being provided with ears. The shafts 81 and y9| havesecuredon their outer ends, arms 92 which are connected through links 93with bell crank levers 94. These levers have each a forked end 95,whichforked ends engage pins 96.; Thepins-SB project from a reciprocablemember 91 which is slidably supported by the upright members 88. Themember 91 extends toward alinement with the axis of the shaft 26, andcarries on-its outer enda roller v98 which is adapted for engagementwithand displacement by an auxiliary cam v99 secured toand moving with thecam 25, this cam 99 having an approach 99A, a dwell 99B, and an abruptrrun-oil? portion 99C. These approach and dwell portions are jointly,substantially equally balanced with reference to the axis 25A of the cam25,v but of slightly less total extent than the dwell 3l of such cam.Thevapproach 99A engages the roller 93 and moves it away from the shaft26, in doing thisraising the-outer ends of the arms 92 andcorrespondingly depressing the lends of the trip levers -99. A tensionspring I 00, acting on oneof the bell crank levers 94, accomplishes.quick return movementof-the levers when re-` disposed well below thetwister heads, this lower end being supported as by a. rod |06 to allowswinging movement of the needle `in a plane at path of the tripv portrigdlysecured on the needle and below the` right` angles to the axis ofthe twister. heads. The upper end ofthe needle` extendsabove the topsofthe twister heads. |61 ,is a dough suptwister heads. The needle isurged into upright position as by a spring HI8. .f y:

Disposed on opposite sides of pair of belts Ilpwhichbeltsare carriedatene `end by a roller ti I, and oppositelyby aroller I`I2, the lbeltsbeing4 driveny by `the-roller,` II2.` The roller: II2is mounted ona,shaftg,l`l3 suitably journalled in` bearings II4 carried by theuprightmembers 8S. ,One end of ,the shaft H3)` extends beyond the bearing `andcarriesa'star Wheel `I I5,

the `prongs of which are Vengaged by a complernentary, trip IIB carriedby the cam shaft 26, this trip impartingfa stepv by step movement to thestarvwheel H5: and correspondinglyvadvancingfthe rbelts withfa similarstep by step kmove'- 2`0: ment. "The belts are spacedapartv to allowfree swinging movement of.'` the `needle |05 and the dough support lill`thereon as the twisted dough roll is shifted by movementgoftthe belts; i

In using the device thedough is -formed into `elongated,cylindricalstrips inusual manner by a machinewwhich delivers .the strips atsubstantially even intervals tothe belt 5B, by which their transfertothe `sorting hopper is accomplished, the sorting hopper initiallybeingin the positio-n shown in Fig. 8. Inthatiigure Vafstrip of dough Ahas just beendelivered to the sorting hopper and rests on the door,64,and against thewall 61,.

and a second strip of` doug-h B is approaching on the belt. rli'heweight` oi. the strip of dough A swings the hopper downward around theshaft 52 Howards upright position and subsequently the belt deliversthe4 second stripB intoL the hopper, the weight of the two strips A andBmovingthe hopper into upright position, as shown in Fig. 9..,

kUntil the hopperreaches substantially upright position the cams 'IIpreventtheA doors opening,

"until the doors 81 are released but as the hopper reachesthe verticalposition shown, thesedoors are. released and-,are free to drop the'twodough strips into ,the timing hopper where they are supported in `thepositions AI, BI

by the z-action of the trip levers 85. 1

i After release of the strips A, B,`fr orn the hopper, `the pin 69,cooperating withthe cam 13, holdthe `hopper in vertical positionuntilthe `springs 'I2 close the doors, after which the spring swings thehopper to initial position.

During movement` of thedough strips into the sorting hopper, and fromthis 4hopper into the timing hopper, and subsequently, the motor 21turns the cam 25 reciprocating the screws I5 and AI6 in oppositedirections, this movement alter- The rack 38 on this rod turns thepinion 46 and oppositely shifts the rack 42 and the rod 43 on which itis mounted. These movements, acting through the brackets 44 and 45,cause the screws I5 and I6 to approach the twister heads I1 and I8toward each other, at the` same time rotating them. This approachmovement continues until the dwell 3| oi the cam is reached, duringwhich dwell the heads remain stationary. The nuts I3 the needle, are avwith the'trough portions of the-barrels opening upward.

. As' motion of the heads cease the approach portion 99A ofthecam 99shifts the roller 98 rapidly tothe left and through ,the bell cranklevers 94, links 93and armsSZ swingsthe trip levers 85 and downward intoengagement with the .ears itil` of the barrel covers I9 and 2,0, thismovement swinging these covers toward fully open position. As thisposition is rea-ched the ears 34 of the trip levers 85v disengageiro-inthe lugs 83 and permit the weight of the rolls AI, BI of dough toswing the doors BI open and these rolls of dough to drop into thetroughs I1, I8 of the head. During these movements the dwell 99B of thecam 39 holds the doors open,` but as the movement oi' the cam continuesit moves away from the roller Ballowing Athe trip levers to be snappedrapidly to initial position by action `of the spring and the covers I9and 2|] thus released ito be closed by action of the springs. Followingthe closure of these covers the cam 25 reaches the endof `its dwell andmovement apart of the screws I5'and I6 is begun.

i' The strips of doughdropping into the troughs II, I8 lie on oppositesides` ofthe needle |05 which projects Well above their tops, and as theheads move apart their opposite ends are oppositely rotated by action ofthe screws I5 and I6 and even twisting together of the ends iscompelled. The needle H15 also prevents any longitudinallshifting of thestrips of dough as twisting is being accomplishedso that both twisterheads reach their the dough as theymoveapart so that a minimum amount ofdistortion or ccmpression'is put upon the strips ofdough andea-chcompleted, twisted roll is accurately and uniformly twisted`throughout. The Ytwisted roll drops from the twister heads onto thebelts and isshifted by movement i of these belts from Ibeneathjtheheads. In this movement the needle turns about the rod |06 toward ahorizontal position and is withdrawn from the twisted rollby movement ofthe roll away-therefrom. 'f i `We ,claimt` Y 1. In a dough` twistingmachine, a `pair of dough twisting heads in substantially axialalinement, each said head comprising a pair of parallel troughs, and apair of covers for said troughs respectively hinged thereto, each saidcover and trough forming a substantially cylindrical barrel when saidcovers are closed, means for approachingv said heads axially each towardthe other, means `for stopping and holding said heads when in approachedposition during a predetermined `dwell period with said troughs facingvertically upward, means coordinated to open said covers to permitaccessfrom above to said troughs and for subsequently releasing and closingsaid covers, during said dwell period,jand means for relativelyseparating said heads and for accomplishing opposite turning motionthereof during separating movement.

. 2. In a dough twisting machine, a pair of dough twisting heads insubstantially axial alinement, each said head comprising a pair ofparallel troughs, and a pair of covers for said troughs respectivelyhinged thereto, each said cover and trough forming a substantiallycylindrical' -bar-- rel when said covers are closed, means forreciprocating said heads, to alternately approach,

said heads axially each toward the other and f to separate same,` meansfor stopping and holding said heads when in approached position withsaid troughs facing vertically upward during a predetermined dwellperiod, means coordinated *with said reciprocating means to open andclose said covers during said dwellperiod, and permit access from aboveto said troughs during a-'portion of said period, means foraccomplishing rotational movement of said heads in relatively oppositel1 dwell portion for stopping movement of said roller and holding saidheads, when in approached position with said troughs facing verticallyupward, during a predetermined period; means for opening and closing"said covers during said period, including a second cam secured to androtating with said rst cam, a co-acting roller, and linkage connectingsaid roller and said covers, said second cam having an actuating portionand a dwell portion, having a total arcuate lengthless than the arcuatelength of said first cam dwell portion, and being timed to period ofsaid rst cam.

4. A dough twisting machine including two pairs of troughs in axialalinement, means for moving said trough pairs axially into end adjacencywith said troughs facing upright, and

act Within the dwell for 'holding said troughs upright and in suchadjacency during a predetermined dwell period to receive rolls of doughfor twisting, a needleshaped member, means hingedly mounting said memberto extend vertically upward across said axis, between said trough ends,said member being adapted to lie between said dough rolls and establisha central anchoragetherefor,meansurg- -ing said member intosuch'posi'tion, means for subsequently during said dwell period coveringsaid troughs to form tubular barrels, means for revolving andconcurrently separating one pair offs'aid barrelsfrom the other thereofand for releasing the' twisted roll of dough thus formed from saidbarrels, and means for transferring saidfrolllaterally and disengagingsaid needle member. n

5. A dough twisting machine including two pairsof-V troughs in axialalinement, means for moving said trough pairs axially into endadjacencyfwith said troughs facing upright, and for holding said troughsin such adjacency during a predetermined dwell period, to receive stripsof dough-forl twisting, laterally movable means disposed between saidtrough ends in substantially vertical position crossing said axis, andadapted tolie'between said strips and prevent substantial end shift ofsaid dough and central twisting movement thereof, means for subsequentlyand during said period covering said troughs to form tubular panels,means for revolving and concurrentlys'epara'ting one pair of saidbarrels from the other thereof and for releasing the twisted roll ofdough thus Vformed from said barrels, and means for shifting said roll'laterally to disengage it from said movable means and remove it.

6. A dough twisting machine, including a pair of dough twisting headssubstantially in axial alinement, each said head including a pair ofparallel troughs, means for reciprocating said heads, to alternatelyapproach, said heads axially each'toward the other and to separate same,means for accomplishing relatively opposite rotation of said headsduring said reciprocating movementmeans for stopping and holding saidheads when in approached position with said troughs facing verticallyupward during a predetermined dwell period to receive strips of dough4for twisting, means for subsequently during said period covering saidtroughs to establish twisting barrels, and means for substantiallypreventing longitudinal `or rotational movement of the mid portion ofsaid strips during rotational and separating movement of said heads.

'7. In a dough twisting machine, a pair of heads iny axial alinement,means for approaching said heads into end adjacency, and for withdrawingand relatively oppositely turning said heads, means disposed betweensaid heads and substantially on the axial center line thereof, forresisting rotational movement of the mid points and longitudinaldisplacement of strips of dough placed in said heads for twisting.

RUFFUS P. S'I'EADMAN. HARRY K APLAN.

